Investigation
by WingedSmasher
Summary: A clumsy reporter watches the crime scene and tries to connect the dots, while the perfectionist officer can't help but think that the government's intelligence agency is the cause of the crime, at that moment the two take some time to speak. One-Shot AU inspired by the FE Mafia community on Tumblr.


The scene is chaotic. Officers try to get rid of press, the press call questions, bystanders push and shove trying to see if they can glimpse the victim. Sumia writes furiously, listening to all the hubbub around her. She squirms behind the crowd, trying to glimpse the crime scene in front of her. All she can glimpse is the yellow tape line. Even if she is press, there's no getting around the crowd, and really there's nothing to see anymore.

The victim of the shooting was already carted off, Sumia has a hunch that he or she is in a private hospital. Really she is only here because she hopes for two things, to see something that might make the attack more logical, or some information that conflicts with her theory and points her to a new one.

As she tries to peak around people, Sumia notices something and she smiles. There is a cop standing by the tape, it is a woman with red hair that cascades dramatically. In a word this officer is startling. Her eyes convey a sharp intelligence as does her body language.

"Cordelia!" Sumia cries. The crowd's roar drowns her voice out, but not the officer's sharp call.

"Please, we have an investigation underway. I suggest it is in your best judgement to leave." She calls to the crowd curtly, but not cruelly. The crowd quiets, the cry of questions slows.

"Cordelia!" Sumia cries, hoping to be heard over the still substantial noise. The officer does not look. Instead the officer frowns and the crowd shrinks back slowly. They're eyeing the officer with an almost terrified look.

"COR-DE-LIA." Sumia cries, accenting each syllable to get the cop's attention. Cordelia finally hears her. She blinks and glances around before calling back, "Sumia?"

Sumia wriggles her way forward, Cordelia asks for some people to move. She hardly needs to ask. Sumia stumbles up to the yellow police tape and grins. Cordelia smiles, nervously.

"I thought it was you! I haven't seen you on duty before you know, so I wasn't sure at first! Yet then I saw how you were talking and" Sumia prattles, offering her friend a sweet smile.

Cordelia laughs, slightly at ease. "Hello Sumia, you're on duty too aren't you?" She asks, eyeing the notepad and pen. (She can't help but notice how Sumia's notes are scrambled and frantic…and after a second look, a Pegasus doodled in the corner.)

Sumia smiles, nodding as she begins to speak again "Breaking news is the best news; though I'm surprised, normally I can catch wind of these things before they happen."

Sumia had indeed published many stories pointing in the direction of a crime, sometimes weeks before the government had snatched the case up. She sighs, look slightly dejected. "I suppose I'm not that good of a reporter, so I shouldn't be too surprised."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Sumia, everyone slips up." Cordelia replies empathetically. "Like the other day, it was my fault our culprit nearly slipped away. I simply could not keep up with him and nearly lost him."

"If it weren't for Phila, he'd have gotten clean away. Even if we already had an ID on him, it still was nearly my fault we lost him. I can't hold my fellow officers back." Cordelia heaves a deep sigh.

The crowd had mostly departed by now, leaving the two women mostly alone. Sumia bites her lip, hesitating before asking a question. "I know you're not supposed to talk about this…but can I ask some questions?"

Cordelia blinks in surprise. Sumia's is giving her a pleading, determined stare. "No one knows anything about who was shot, where they've gone or why they were targeted. I've got hunches...but I want to confirm some of my information with you if, if that's ok." Sumia mumbles uncertainly.

Cordelia hesitates. Her desire to help Sumia and her desire to stick to the book are clashing. Sumia's bites her lip again. She knows she shouldn't ask, but this was such an unexpected crime, it's hard to tell how accurate her ideas are. Cordelia lets out another sigh.

"Alright, but please, yes or no only questions. I'm not going to do anything but confirm or deny your ideas." Sumia's eyes light up and any doubt Cordelia has evaporates. Cordelia watches as a change occurs. Sumia straightens up where she stands, her posture shifts to a more confident air, and she flips open her notepad while clicking her pen.

"Was the victim in business?" Cordelia nods. Sumia scribbles. "The victim was male, correct?" Another nod and more scribbles. Cordelia couldn't help but notice Sumia was taking notes in a sporadic manner. Sumia understood what she was writing, so that was all that mattered.

"He was a tall, big, man, right? The shot wound really is only inconveniencing him, correct?" Cordelia raises an eye brow, she stares in puzzlement.

"How…" Cordelia appraises Sumia and decides it's better not to ask. "Yes." She says at last.

Sumia purses her lips, scribbling some more. "Crustatum." It's not a question but Cordelia answers anyway. "Yes. Walhart Crustatum." Walhart Crustatum, or simply Walhart was a business tycoon. Walhart was known for his commanding monopolies, and his ability to crush any individual business as easily as a bug.

Sumia stares at her notepad. Cordelia can see the gears turning in her head as she makes some connection Cordelia herself has not made yet. "So then…" Sumia mumbles, more to herself than anyone. She writes something down.

"Suuuumia! Oh, Cordelia too?" A cheerful voice trills and both women glance up, to see a cheerful blonde leaping out of a car. Lissa's curly pigtails bounce as she hurries over. Lissa smiles brilliantly as she approaches; her vibrant yellow dress makes the socialite stand out in the rather subdued cityscape.

"Oh! Lissa," Sumia chirps with a smile. "Miss Lissa," Cordelia replies a polite and slightly smaller smile than Sumia's. "Working hard?" Lissa giggles. "Sumia you looked so focused I almost didn't recognize you! Right Chrom?" Lissa calls behind her, and indeed Chrom is now approaching their little party.

"Chrom! S-sir!" Cordelia salutes jumping to attention. Sumia fumbles and drops her pad as she squeaks. "Captain!" Chrom laughs at the nickname; it had started with Sully and spread like wildfire. "Hello Sumia, Cordelia." Chrom picks up Sumia's notes and hands them back to her. She stammers a thank you.

"Do you guys have any leads on the goon who had the gun?" Lissa asks as she leans over the tape, craning her neck to look for signs of blood. Chrom pulls her back. "Trust them to do their job Lissa,"

Lissa sulks. "I do, I was just wondering big brother." She huffs. "Nothing as of yet Miss Lissa." Cordelia replies quickly. Sumia clears her throat.

"Um...Well...Considering who was attacked, I'm thinking it must have been a vigilante. Walhart has been snapping up business lately, and the whole situation is looking really suspicious…"

Cordelia blinks. "Did you just come up with that Sumia?" Sumia shrugs. "It's a hunch I've had, and this crime is leading to me to think Walhart's been engaged in criminal activity, and someone who he pressured got angry…I can't be certain yet. I'm still poking around."

Lissa and Chrom both stared. "….I think you might be onto something, Sumia!" Lissa chirps with a delighted grin. Chrom nods. "If you find out anything…" He begins.

Sumia smiles and nods at them both. "It'll be in the paper, Captain. You can count on it." He smiles and redirects his attention to Lissa.

"Didn't you want to go to lunch?" Lissa blinks. "Huh? Oh, Yeah!" She laughs and turns to the other woman. "Do you two want to come? The more the merrier! We've got Frederick in the car." Lissa glances over. "I think he's glaring at me."

"He probably wants to go Lissa," Chrom chucks. Lissa shrugs in turn. "Go and tell him we're coming, why don't you?" Lissa stretches lazily and looks to the women again. "Alright, but seriously! Come to Lunch, It'll be fun!"

"I'm on duty, I can't Miss Lissa. I apologize." Cordelia apologizes, and she looks genuinely upset. "Oh! Well...If Cordelia can't go I'd feel quite rude to intrude on my own…" Sumia mumbles.

Chrom shakes his head. "Nonsense, you won't be intruding."

Lissa nods cheerfully. "Come on Sumia! It'll be fun. Cordelia, next time we're going out to lunch we'll call you!" Before Sumia can protest Lissa slips her arm into Sumia's and yanks her off.

"G-Goodbye Cordelia! And really thank you so much! I'll call you later!" Sumia manages to give her best friend a wave and shout before Lissa pulls her into the car.

Chrom shakes his head. "Sorry about stealing Sumia away from you," Cordelia shakes her head, she's smiling. "It's alright Sir, I know Miss Lissa can be quite headstrong."

Chrom laughs. "That's one word for it, oh well. It was nice talking with you, keep up the good work." Cordelia salutes him as he leaves.

She waves to Sumia and Lissa, and manages to see Frederick too, as the car passes. She watches for a moment as the car turns around the bend. Cordelia shakes herself out of her reprieve and goes back to work. There's a crime to be solved.

* * *

**Welp. I did the thing. This is what happens when I join Tumblr. I fall in with the Awakening Fandom. We start playing an online game about mafias and a whole AU gets spawned. If you want more information about it you can check out the blog. It's fe-mafia just search it up if you want to see all the awesome artwork, and silliness. I really enjoyed writing this. It was fun.**


End file.
